Islamabad Has a Pollen Count that is Off the Charts on the World for 5-1-14

Sorry, it's that time of year, with allergies and all. Still, wait until you hear how bad it is in Islamabad. More on that in a minute.

Twenty-five years ago, students began protesting against the Chinese government in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. John Pomfret, a reporter for the AP at the time, was there. Today, he'll tell us why his reporting led to him being expelled from China. The World's Matthew Bell has been talking to Chinese students here in the US, and his story reveals how Tiananmen is still a touchy subject.

We'll also explore the local Boston connections to the unfolding story of the arrest of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. He's being questioned about an IRA murder back in 1972. Host Marco Werman finds out more from The Boston Globe's Kevin Cullen, who has followed Adams' career for many years.

Plus, what's up with French economist Thomas Piketty? Seems like both the right and left in America can't stop talking about him, and his latest book. But how do the French feel about him? We'll dig in on that.

OK, back to those allergies. We noticed earlier this week that Pakistani author Bina Shah was using Twitter to launch a broadside...against pollen. It turns out, Islamabad's got a pollen count that is off the charts. Want to know why? Check out The World.